It is conventional to mount hand rails along stairs, ramps, walk ways, and similar pedestrian thoroughfares to provide a secure grab point for a person transiting through the space. When hand rails are mounted to walls or other existing structures, the spacing of the supports may be irregular, making it difficult to use standard or common length rails to extend between the supports. Alternatively, the spacing of the supports may be regular and consistent along the thoroughfare but the spacing may not match up to standard length rails sections. Further, while the planning spacing may be regular enough to permit the pre-cutting of rails for installation, the reality of the installation may not match the plans and the pre-cut sections may not fit the installation.
These scenarios typically call for the cutting of rail sections in the field to match the particular needs and requirements of an installation. Conventional supports have exposed the cut ends of the rails sections, requiring that the cut ends also be dressed and cleaned in the field. For some materials and some installations, there may also be a need to renew rust- or weather-proofing of the cut ends as well. To ensure that the cuts are cleanly and consistently executed, a more elaborate saw or cutting system may be needed in the field. Welding may also be required to fasten lengths of railing together, and these welds would also need to be similarly dressed and possibly weather-protected.
To ensure that the rails meet closely enough for welding or to avoid any unsightly gaps between rails, precision in the cutting of the rails may also require additional labor or more highly skilled labor for installation.
It is a further issue that replacement of installed rails may require similar high levels of precision and skill, as well as new dressing of any joints or welds between rails.
Improvements to the conventional systems and other known approaches to installing and repairing hand rails are desirable.